Is this all about true love?
by hlebobulo4ka
Summary: Some thoughts on the story of Maleficent and Regina. Starts from Regina finding Mal's book in the library.
1. Chapter 1

This is my very first experience of writing. Sorry for my English. Critical comments and recommendations are always welcome.

* * *

So much time passed since she's been trying to learn some real stuff from Rumple. Some real magic that will help her to get the happy ending. She was still too weak or too young, or maybe too emotional and sensitive. Now this girl was too tired of all these toos. Reading was always the best way to escape. Regina was in the library looking through her mother's books when she found one with extremely beautiful cover written in lovely handwriting. She took the precious thing and put herself in the armchair near the fireplace. Young Queen was a quick reader but since the very first passages she just couldn't help rereading some of them again and again:

«… so being a powerful weapon magic should be treated with respect…»

«You should find your inner magic and transfer it to the world, don't search for magic around you -it's a dead end»

«… I suppose that every creature has the fire, the light, the spark inside and he or she should use one to lit up the most hidden dreams and desires…».

There were so many others, but the one that fascinated Regina most was at the very end of the book, written sharply in almost a different way, but the enchanting handwriting was still recognizable:

«Magic is very close to true love, but not this painful».

Hours later she took the book in her bedroom and put it under the pillow. Then Regina wearing nothing but a transparent nightgown was sitting on her king-size, in this case actually queen-size, bed practicing a new spell just for fun. She was trying so hard to transfer a red rose from the vase that stood a couple of meters far from her but it didn't work. Young queen felt nothing but a huge wave of anger when she memorized the quote from the book. «True love…» - Regina thought: «Rumple didn't teach me anything of this kind. It might be the problem…». She closed her eyes and imagined Daniel's face, she could almost hear his voice when suddenly she felt sharp spikes of the rose on her palm and sweet smell of its' petals so close in the air.

«That's just magic!» - said Regina in a voice that was full of joy. She tried it again with the whole vase without closing her eyes and it worked. This time something was very different from the magic Rumple taught her. Regina felt the light inside and saw this light when the vase appeared in her hands - it was white light not a usual purple smoke that always made her think about Cora.

Young sorceress practiced some more spells before going to her husband's room for 15 minutes. That was just enough for him to come and fall asleep. For Regina that was usually just enough for feeling the whole shame of the world, enormous misery and fear but not this time. This time she was thinking about magic and the book she was hiding under the pillow. As a so-called-sex was over Regina rushed into her room and returned to reading.

Apart from philosophy of magic and the respect the author, her name was Maleficent, paid to the subject Regina was highly excited with the fact that this woman could turn into the dragon. Young queen was thrilled as she read the description of the whole becoming-a-dragon process. Regina had so many questions like: «why the dragon?», «how long could you stay like this?», «is it female dragon?» - the last one she considered the most stupid. Anyway there was the main question: «Can I do like this later?». With all these thoughts and questions she fell asleep feeling nothing but happiness.


	2. Chapter 2

Good luck with Maleficent! - last words that young queen heard from her experienced-enough teacher before she found herself in the waste land feeling the heat of the burning tree behind her. She understood she wasn't fully ready to meet her new idol whom she had been thinking of for the last few days. Regina wasn't properly dressed and wasn't trained well enough. Her white magic appeared to be worthless in such cases as revenge. The queen couldn't hurt anyone thinking about Daniel. New power she got was meant for creation not for destruction and couldn't help her to sweep Snow White away from Regina's way toward happiness.  
"Anyway she didn't believe Maleficent to be well-mannered sorceress, at least she didn't burn the whole forest thinking about all this true-love stuff. Young queen was eager to learn how did her idol get a revenge no matter what.  
"Regina's way to Maleficent's castle was quite long. She managed to use magic several times but it didn't move her much further. Finally she came up to the dark old castle nothing like her husband's one. There wasn't any garden nearby and she didn't hear any voices or even noises behind thick walls. Indeed Maleficent's castle appeared to be empty. Regina entered it without any doubt and didn't meet anybody who could prevent her meeting the sorceress. Young queen walked through long corridors holding tiny magic ball in her right hand in order to see at least something in this deep darkness. Regina managed to find the right door just after 20 minutes but it seemed like a couple of hours. Queen saw that one door had been ajar. As Regina came closer, her magic ball dissolved in the air, she could see several torches alight and so she took one more step toward her revenge.  
"The whole castle was cold as ice but in this very room Regina felt even colder.  
"Hello, Maleficent? - young queen's voice was trembling with fear although she thought it was for the low temperature.  
"I've… been studying magic… beginner stuff… - silence was her answer, Regina came up with the idea that she might had chosen the wrong room, but decided to continue, - I thought maybe… perhaps you can teach me?  
"Why don't you show me what you've learnt and light this fireplace? - queen heard sorceress' voice very confident and a little husky.  
"Lighting something wasn't her strongest side at the moment she was more into teleporting things and doing some sweet stuff like creating light balls and rainbows. Regina tried to think about Daniel but was so nervous that she couldn't memorize his image. Maleficent's voice stuck in her head. In a few moments she «produced» one of her usual tiny fire balls that finally lighted the fireplace.  
\- That's such a shame…that's… that's… - Regina was smiling but thoughts were hiving in young queen's head surrounded with her idol's voice and then she heard:  
"That's pathetic… but it'll do…  
"Everything that was happening after these words was covered with mist. Regina saw a tall slim figure garbed in gorgeous dress. This woman looked like a bird of paradise placed in the shadow. Her hair was in a mess, but Regina immediately came up with the desire to touch it, to stroke it. For the young queen this woman seemed to be a mysterious creature, with magical blue eyes and smooth gestures. The queen couldn't tell if it were heels that made this female-creature taller -Maleficent's dress covered here legs and Regina thought that they should be twice longer than body or even should appear to be tail. After observing the whole look of the female-creature Regina fixed her eyes at sorceress' face. The Queen suddenly realized that something was wrong as if she could see tiny cracks in pupils of older woman's eyes the same cracks she could see in her own reflection every single day.  
\- Oh… feels nice.. - hearing creature's voice Regina could finally take her eyes of Maleficent - I haven't light a proper fire in years… - Here the young queen felt shiver down her spine again and rushed into conversation that will stay in her memories forever.


	3. Chapter 3

Maleficent got her revenge, she could finally feel its' taste on the tip of the tongue. The day she spent without magical mixture of salt water and sleeping curse gave her time to think about this happy ending thing. Was she, Maleficent, happy after all? The woman felt that something was missing. Now when this girl had left she felt weak and hopeless again facing the eternal question: what's next? This girl… Regina was her name… this name meant «queen» in one of these «oversea» languages. Maleficent was setting near the fireplace watching forks of flame changing their shape after the movements of her hand. The sorceress was building fire castles, creating burning roses and lilies, she even made a small fire-spitting dragon and then fire forks turned into a young flourishing face. Maleficent was watching it for several minutes and suddenly fell asleep. The female creature was dreaming of young girl riding the dragon, human child was laughing her eyes sparkling with joy. Obviously it was Regina, the one that had lit proper fire not only in dragon's fireplace but in her lonely heart.

—

meanwhile in Leopold's castle

Regina was walking down the corridor when she saw Snow. Princesse's face was red covered with tears, the girl was sobbing.

\- What has happened, poor child? - asked Regina with a smile on her face. This smile looked really sincere but indeed it was the way to release the enormous joy young Queen's heart was filled with.

My horse… it fell asleep… I was trying to wake him up but… - She burst out crying again.

\- Oh, darling he may feel unwell because of the weather or has eaten something… You should ask your dad to call for a doctor. It's so little a can do for you here… I'm so sorry, darling… - Regina took Snow White's face in her hands and wipe warm tears off with thumbs. - Just go to you dad's. - said the Queen in a tender voice.

Regina, you helped a lot… - Snow gave her step-mother a deep hug, - I don't know what I would do without your support… - the girl smiled and run away towards the King's room.

\- Poor silly thing… One day you will learn… - Regina broke into a grin.

—-

While vets were trying to cope with Maleficent's sleeping curse Regina was in the garden taking care of apple trees. She was cutting dry sticks and picking off yellow leaves. Most part of her «lovely green children» were doing alright, delicious red apples were at a point to fall down and young Queen picked several of them to put in the basket. At the furthest side of the garden there was a lonely apple-tree, its fruits were green. Regina has never really carried about it and the tree was almost wild. This time young sorceress decided to collect green apples too. It occurred to her that Maleficent should like green apples not red ones.

\- Why should you really care about female dragon's taste? Are you going to cook a pie for her or what? - young queen heard one of the most unpleasant voices in all the worlds, it was Rumple.

\- Why do you think I collect apples for Maleficent? Now we owe nothing to one another. I'm done with Snowwhite's horse and her precious Aurora is no more a problem. - just now Regina realized that she was a bit jealous with her new female friend. The way older woman was talking to one of her worst enemies surprised Regina. Moments before Maleficent put a curse on young princess she called her sweet smelling and when the child fell asleep female creature was watching her for too long.

\- I thought you will come to visit her again to discourse some girls' matter, wont you? - Rumple took one green apple of the tree and took a bite.

\- She's a powerful sorceress not some kind of a fairy with curls and white lace on her neckband. - answered Regina in slight irritation.

\- Don't be so angry with me, deary. I was just thinking that you need a female friend even if it's a pathetic dragon like Maleficent… By the way she wears lace but of another sort and green apple is the best treat for her ever. - on this worlds Rumple disappeared in the mist.

An hour late Regina ordered servants to prepare kitchen for her to cook in. Young queen was ready to offer the female creature something more sweet smelling than Aurora.


	4. Chapter 4

I finally got my masters degree and can continue writing the story... One more short piece...  
Chapter 4  
The dragon creature was sitting in the armchair having rest after long-distance flight. Maleficent was more than excited when she could finally transform into her alter-ego and escape from empty walls of her cold castle. She felt free and almost happy again. This 'almost' was bothering her indeed, it was 'almost' 4 days since human child left and appeared that Mal missed her not 'almost' but a lot.  
The woman wasn't doing her 'special mixture' for all this time. She felt strength and got her appetite back but inner emotions and desires became more vivid than ever. There wasn't a place for the hunger of revenge anymore, the sorceress just wanted a young queen being nearby.  
It was long after sun disappeared behind high mountains when the dragon creature heard footsteps and smelled a familiar human being inside the castle. Maleficent thought that it was a hallucination of some kind but in a few moments she saw Regina standing in the door frame holding something in her hands that this time wasn't Maleficent's spell-book. The older woman smelled something warm and sour but almost sweet, she guessed that it might have been apples but how was it possible, all servants were gone and the sorceress hasn't hired new people yet.  
\- Good evening, Maleficent… - Regina's voice prevented the sorceress from further thoughts, - I decided to pay you one more visit if you don't mind… Actually if you do… I will just leave this for you and…  
\- Too much talking as usual, little queen… - Maleficent interrupted her young friend - you can stay if your husband doesn't mind it in this time of the night… - the dragon creature smiled and made welcoming gesture pointing at the other armchair near the fireplace.  
\- He doesn't know. I'm planing to be back by the sunrise. By the way, I made an apple and thought you might want a piece. - Regina put the plate on the tea-table.  
\- You surprised me indeed - dragon creature remarked - we can enjoy it with a cup of nice hot tea - Maleficent made a light gesture and two tea-cups and a china-kettle appeared. - So, what do we have here? - The sorceress removed a piece of cloth and saw a delicious apple pie. - Did you cook it yourself, your majesty? - warm smile was shining on Mal's face.  
\- Yes I did, and these apples are from my garden… I used mostly green apples though I'm more into red… thought you might… - The Queen was gazing at her shoes and turned a bit red…  
\- That I might enjoy it… I definitely will as I'll enjoy your nice company… - Maleficent took one piece and bit it…


End file.
